For many of you, this post will be preaching to the choir, but I still want to take a stab at converting those among us not yet utilizing LinkedIn. By definition, LinkedIn is an online social networking site for business professionals. Facebook for the workplace, if you will.
I recommend nearly all my clients maintain a presence on it, especially those in the midst of a job search. Why? For job seekers, it’s like peeking inside your contacts’ rolodexes. It’s interactive networking, networking taken up a notch. It enables you to see who knows who, and who might be able to help who. Don’t get me wrong though. One thing is certain. It doesn’t “do” the networking for you. Nothing is going to magically happen just because you’ve created a profile on LinkedIn, but it creates a platform on which more effective networking can occur.
So what does this mean for a job seeker? Once you “connect” with someone—be it a friend, a colleague, a former classmate, or a client—you are able to view whom they are connected with, and your larger network on LinkedIn includes not only your contacts, but second and third degree contacts, people that those people know. How do I utilize this? Here are just a few ways that come to mind:
Looking to set up informational interviews?
Search for contacts in a certain industry.
Trying to get an interview in a particular company?
Search for appropriate contacts in that company.
Need a trusted service provider such as a recruiter, resume writer or career coach?
See who your contacts know and recommend.
Want to get the word out to your network that you’re looking for a new opportunity?
Update your Status field accordingly.
But how to start? There’s no need to stumble through or go it alone. There are many resources online and several published books. I’m on LinkedIn—Now What??? is by far the best, in my opinion. It’s the book I personally turned to when I was getting up and running on LinkedIn last year, and now in its second edition, it remains a comprehensive guide for setting up your profile and learning the ins and outs of the site. Jason Alba breaks down the basics of LinkedIn and how to make it work for you, including the latest features in LinkedIn Groups and strategies on how to best use LinkedIn Answers. The tone is down to earth, and the content is accessible and valuable. I have recommended it to friends and clients alike.
